Chapter 7
Ryker
The words that Viltrix spoke kept echoing in my mind, "Take my head... take my head." After letting his words marinate for a few moments, Viltrix continued, "I can see from the look on many of your faces that you would love nothing more than to do just that, but I am no weakling, and in your current condition, no human alive could accomplish the feat. Do not despair. I was as weak as you once. Then I entered the Pyramid, and through the right of conquest, I gained my power and took my crown! Many of you will choose to enter its depths, and many of you will perish, but maybe your species can put up enough of a fight to reach the summit. There I will be waiting and watching. I wish you luck. I do grow weary waiting for a real challenge. So FIGHT, CLIMB, GROW, OR DIE!"
The image went black, and a new face appeared. It was the face of a red-skinned child that appeared roughly 8 years old by human standards, with two nubs of horn barely poking out of the skin of her forehead. She had similar features to Viltrix but softer, lesser, and more feminine. The figure spoke, "I am A.I. #42651 and go by the name of Ruby. I was created for the purpose of coordinating the integration of humanity into the Empire and will be your guide. During the development of my personality, all of the accumulated knowledge of Earth was gathered and used in my creation so I would have a firm understanding of your species and your quirks. Currently, this transmission is being broadcast across thousands of ships to the remaining 4,824,184,032 humans in existence. Your understanding and cooperation moving forward will impact your survival, so listen closely. You are currently traveling 13,000 times the speed of light and have traveled faster and farther than any of your kind that have come before you. Our destination is the galactic center, the Pyramid of Power. This journey will take two Earth years to complete, and there is much to be done before we arrive."
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"I was given instructions by the old A.I.s back home to pick and choose where you all go, but I am no longer attached to the A.I. hive mind and have decided to do things differently. After mulling things over, I am going to go the human route and let you decide! This will be fun HEHE!! Unless you're under the age of 15, then you will be placed under A.I. supervision and taught the ways of the Empire. If your education takes hold, you will be given citizenship. The rest of humanity has a choice to make. Do your part to repay Earth's debt through physical labor, become a cerebral processor, or brave the pyramid."
Immediately, three archways rose out of the floor at the far end of the room, and a semi-transparent portal manifested in the middle of each. "Those that choose to honor their bodies and pay by the sweat of their brow will take the portal on the left. If you wish to escape your worries and immerse yourself in a simulated reality, living a carefree life while contributing processing power to A.I. like me, choose the rightmost portal. Those among you that want a chance for more, for power, for freedom, and are willing to put your life on the line to achieve this goal then I urge you to take the portal in the center. You have one hour to decide. I will consider anyone left in this room at the end of that time uncooperative, and they will be destroyed immediately. Choose wisely…….friends." The corner of her lip started to twitch upward, and she tilted her head to one side like she was having to strain to force emotion onto her face, till finally a smile appeared, she did a little twirl mid happy dance, and her image winked out.